Yes, the linebackers are tackling challenged, Kuhbander missed a chip shot, Hilinski didn’t have a pass for more than 20 yards, the red zone offense harkened to the flying wedge era and Ohio was a pathetic opponent.
Having said all that, there were some real, substantive bright spots that showed up this game.
First, the D Backs held positional integrity and a Hankwitz style multi layered defense reappeared. While there were missed tackles, there were always secondary players cleaning up until the last play of the game with the scrubs. Between their first and last possession, Ohio had 11 possessions that did not get within the Cats’ 40.
Gold saw the field, and while Ohio is hardly big ten caliber, there was no room to run between the tackles.
Joseph got an interception, so maybe he will calm down.
Azema looks, even with one hand, much more comfortable than earlier in the season.
Ohio is bad, but the OLine did pretty well get a run push that has been absent all year.
No sacks allowed.
Hull looked like a faster Mike Adamle.
Tyus looks like he is getting used to college football.
The brain trust really, really did not want to throw the ball, but Robinson and Kirtz were pretty much getting separation on every play, something that I haven’t seen Purple WR’s do in years. When Fitz and Bajakian decide to let Hilinski throw, he may well have some targets to hit.
I don’t want to say this game was either a statement or a thing of beauty, or that they are playing at championship level, but between the point where Duke went up 27-0 and the last garbage TD, the Cats outscored two bad teams 58-3 over basically 6 quarters. I’ll take it. Oh, and if the scrubs had pushed Rogers out, they would have had six consecutive shutout quarters. I am not ready to write off the rest of the year.
Having said all that, there were some real, substantive bright spots that showed up this game.
First, the D Backs held positional integrity and a Hankwitz style multi layered defense reappeared. While there were missed tackles, there were always secondary players cleaning up until the last play of the game with the scrubs. Between their first and last possession, Ohio had 11 possessions that did not get within the Cats’ 40.
Gold saw the field, and while Ohio is hardly big ten caliber, there was no room to run between the tackles.
Joseph got an interception, so maybe he will calm down.
Azema looks, even with one hand, much more comfortable than earlier in the season.
Ohio is bad, but the OLine did pretty well get a run push that has been absent all year.
No sacks allowed.
Hull looked like a faster Mike Adamle.
Tyus looks like he is getting used to college football.
The brain trust really, really did not want to throw the ball, but Robinson and Kirtz were pretty much getting separation on every play, something that I haven’t seen Purple WR’s do in years. When Fitz and Bajakian decide to let Hilinski throw, he may well have some targets to hit.
I don’t want to say this game was either a statement or a thing of beauty, or that they are playing at championship level, but between the point where Duke went up 27-0 and the last garbage TD, the Cats outscored two bad teams 58-3 over basically 6 quarters. I’ll take it. Oh, and if the scrubs had pushed Rogers out, they would have had six consecutive shutout quarters. I am not ready to write off the rest of the year.